South Park belongs to Matt Stone and Trey Parker

I took a long drag off of the cigarette I swiped from Cartman in my mouth and puffed out smoke rings. My companion stared at the formations in wonder. I smiled as warmly as I could manage.

"Want some?"

Butter's surprised turquoise eyes flicked towards my own, as I passed the cig over to him. He look a full puff and almost coughed up a lung. I grinned. My first reaction would have been to call him a lightweight, but I remembered that he was easy to scare off, and I didn't.

"It's ok, dude, smoking just isn't for you I guess."

"Y-yeah.." He sighed, pulling clean air back into his body as he handed it back to me. Then he looked at me hesitantly.

"Where's Eric?"

This question always came up. He always thinks I only hang out with him because I ran out of options. I cracked a smile.

"Probably fucking eating."

"Oh." Pause. "Where are Stan and Kyle?"

"Probably fucking." I chuckled at my own bad joke, and realized Butters didn't seem to think it was a joke at all.

"I always thought they were kind of close...I never knew.." He focused on the pond in front of us.

"Dude.." I snapped my fingers in front of his face, and pointed to mine, directing his attention back to me. "I was joking."

"Oh!" His mouth formed a smile. "Funny!"

I rolled my eyes.

"Stan and Kyle's bedroom relationship aside, shouldn't you be hanging out with Phil, Leo?"

Butters flinched at the common nicknames of their real names, and his face darkened.

"Pip's hanging out with Damien. He stopped by the school for a visit."

He fiddled with his jacket, the one with the British flag Pip had given him.

I reveled in his undeniable air of jealousy, and then patted him on the back.

"Well, no worries. You can hang out with me, right?"

"He grinned in a sheepish way, and tugged on the brown scarf I had given him that I used to wear a lot in middle school.

When The Boys saw Butters wear that to school the day after his birthday, they were all up in arms about it.

I remember Cartman saying, "What the hell did you give that stupid kid Butters your favorite scarf for? What, you're buddies with him now?"

Kyle and Stan were having their own conversation, but I could tell they had started listening in.

"No," I lied, "It's an act of charity. I feel sorry for the kid for being so dumb. Plus, I got a hoodie, so who need scarves?" I said, tugging at my newer, comfortable orange hooded sweater. Kyle and Stan, sated, returned to their conversation, and to distract Cartman further, I pulled some porno out from my bag and showed it to him.

I couldn't tell them, of course, that the real reason I snatch up Butters to Starks Pond when Pip is with Damien is because I'm really thankful for him. When I died for good, he really tried to enforce that he was Butters, their new friend, and not a replacement Kenny. I didn't want a replacement Kenny when I died, and when I came back, eventually, I was glad to see they hadn't forgotten me, although by that time they had moved on to Tweek.

I then realized, that, in my moment of silent thought, Butters had become uncomfortable. I turned to him.

"Hey Leo,"

He flinched again. I knew not even his parents ever called him Leopold, and I just used the abbreviation to annoy him.

"Why don't you say something? Start a conversation yourself, I won't yell at you or anything."

Butters flushed. "I can't think of anything."

I thought. "Who do you like?" I said, grasping at any subject, and then mentally kicking myself for sounding so much like a chick.

"W-what?"

I repeated myself, and the blonde looked at the ground.

"Um..I do think one girl is kind of pretty..."

I stared at him.

"B-Bebe St-Stevens...butIdon'tthinkIreallylikeher..." He finally spat out.

I almost screamed that the big busted head cheerleader was way out of his league, but instead I sighed and took another drag.

"You got a things for blondes, huh?"

"Heh.."

"I like redheads myself..." I smiled evilly, "So does Stan."

Butters turned towards me. "Really! Who does he like!"

"Kyle."

A seconds silence passed, and then Butters laughed.

"See? You got it that time." I said, grinning from ear to ear.

"Is he the pitcher or the catcher?" He giggled, looking surprised at himself for making such a dirty joke.

I was surprised too, but I didn't miss a beat.

"Probably the bottom, You know how aggressive Kyle can get."

Butters laughed out loud, and I laughed with him. Screw Cartman, Butters may be slow, but he catches on quick. And I was just happy being here with him now.

End.